FAMILIES in a Birmingham suburb are fighting back against drug dealers blighting their neighbourhood, officers said today.

Police revealed how a quiet revolution was taking place across Perry Barr, where citizens were dishing the dirt on the dealers.

Growing links between families and West Midlands Police’s Birchfield Neighbourhood Team have led to a string of arrests and convictions in the area. Officers today called on the public across the city to follow suit and seize the initiative from criminals dealing on their streets.

In recent raids in Perry Barr, three people were arrested and heroin and crack cocaine worth around £4,000 was seized. All three were charged with possession and supplying the drugs and are due before Birmingham Crown Court later this month.

Police also raided a house in Handsworth resulting in the seizure of cannabis and the arrest of two people. And a 50-year-old drug dealer from nearby Wilton Road was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court for three years and nine months last week.

Acting Sgt Michael Collett said the spate of arrests were a direct result of strengthening links between police, community support officers and law-abiding families.

“People have been coming to our neighbourhood meetings and engaging with the police to help the work we do in the community,” he said.

“They are growing increasingly confident they can work with the police for us to take positive action.”

Sgt Collett said he believed the result of the grass roots policing would serve as a boost to families elsewhere in Birmingham.

He said: “The neighbourhood team have done a fantastic job but they need the support of the public to do it.

“Community support officers are out there to reassure our communities that criminality will not be tolerated.